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Matthew Murdock (Earth-616)/Expanded History
__TOC__ =Preface= A number the incidents recounted of Matt Murdock's life prior to becoming Daredevil are cited to have occurred in specific decades relative to the era of publication. However, the Earth-616 universe operates on a Sliding Timescale these events could not have occurred in the times they appeared due to the fact that it would drastically age the character. As of this writing, it's generally accepted that the accident that caused Murdock to get his power occurred about 18 years ago and became Daredevil roughly 12 years ago on Earth-616. All historically specific references to Peter's past will be generalized in the main article, and any references to the Sliding Time Scale will be mentioned in the citation notes. =Early Life= Childhood Matthew Murdock was the son of Jack and Maggie Murdock in the New York borough of Hell's Kitchen. Matt's father was a boxer who operated under the name of Battlin' Jack Murdock. While Matt was still an infant, Matt's mother left his father, however the circumstances that led to this departure differ from account to account. By Jack Murdock's account when Maggie realized she was pregnant, she came to believe she was living a life of sin and ran off to a convent. There she gave birth and raised Matthew for six months, before turning the boy over to Jack to raise. While not outright stated, it may have been due to Jack's inability to get into matches and began drinking heavily while also working as an enforcer for a mobster known as the Fixter. Maggie Murdock later stated that she didn't initially leave Jack until well after Matthew was born. Suffering from Postpartum depression, Maggie soon grew paranoid believing that her husband was working against him and neglecting her in favor of their son. One night she finally snapped and attacked Jack who was completely shocked by the attack. Maggie quickly fled the Murdock home and wandered the streets until she eventually found shelter in a missionary where she eventually became a nun. Maggie's account of events sound more likely, as Jack was not only an alcohlic with a low-self image, his profession as a boxer could have also led to brain injuries. Any one of these things, or a combination of all could have led to false recollections on his part. Whatever the case may be, Jack Murdock fell even deeper into his depression. Although he gave into his vices and the Fixer's shady jobs, he still loved his son, even he lost his temper at times. Maggie later wrote to Jack expressing her shame, and asked that Jack tell their son that she was dead. A lie that Jack kept until his dying day. Unknown to both Jack and Matthew, Maggie secretly kept an eye on her son. As a youth, Matt became a prankster and trouble maker. One day he even stole a local police officers baton and hide it at Fogwell's Gym, where his father would go to fight. Matt also took care of his father, who was spiraling further and further into alcoholism. Matt quickly became aware of his father's criminal activities when one of the local children beat him up over the fact that Jack had strong armed the boy's father for money owed to the Fixer. Jack tried to console his boy by telling him that he was going to raise him to be a better man than him. Still, Matt continued to idolize his father, helping him train when he started getting new fights and tried cleaning up his act. He also had his son promise never to become a fighter like him and to focus on his studies. Not long after this Matt came home to tell his father that he beat up the boy who attacked him earlier. In Jack's own account of events, he struck back at his son to teach him a lesson that there will always be someone stronger. When Matt stood his ground, Jack struck his boy again and Matt ran out on his father. In another account, Jack merely struck his son for not listening to him. This compelled Matt to believe that if everyone broke the law -- even his own father -- he would learn the law. Matt became focused on his studies. Matt also obeyed his father's wishes and did not engage in fights with his classmates. Matt was relentlessly bullied, and he was called "Daredevil" by his classmates. Matt began to secretly exercise and train himself acrobatics and how to fight at Fogwell's Gym. It was during this time that Matt gained the attention of the Chaste, a sacred order of fighters who were the counter force to the evil Hand, and they sent their blind warrior Stick to watch over the boy. Variations of these events have also been told, but omit mention of Jack's work as an enforcer, his alcoholism or abusive behavior. Namely the original telling of Daredevil's origins in . and among others. It was not until Daredevil: The Man Without Fear Vol 1 was published that these plot elements became common parts of Daredevil's mythos. The Accident About six years prior to the modern age of heroesRough estimation, per published in 2009, the narrative states that Murdock's accident happened 18 years prior. In some schools of thought the general rule of the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616 is that for every four years of publications one year of has elapsed in the Marvel Universe. "Year One" in the Modern Age of Heroes is 1961. Between 1961 and 2009, 48 years of publications had been printed. Divided by four makes it about 12 years as having elapsed on Earth-616. 18 minus twelve makes these events having occurred six years prior to the birth of the Fantastic Four. when Matt was a teenager, Matt spotted an old blind man crossing in the street into oncoming traffic. Matt dived into the road to push the man out of the way and was struck by an Ajax Chemical Company truck hauling radioactive waste. The canisters of this waste spilled across Matt's eyes. Matt was rushed to a hospital where he underwent various surgeries in order to save his life, but the accident made him blind. While in recovery, Matt discovered that by some twist of fate, the accident also enhanced his other senses. When the increased sense began to be too much for young Matt, he was briefly visited by Master Izo of the Chaste, who was checking on his status and reported it back to Stick. Matt was also visited by Sister Maggie, a local nun, whom he confided his new abilities in. Matt was unaware that she was really his birth mother. She convinced Matt to keep his new abilities a secret to everyone, including his father, calling them a gift from God. After Matt's release from the hospital, Jack attempted to get compensation from the Ajax Chemical Company. They refused to cooperate, warning Murdock the elder that if he went after them legally, they would exposed his involvement with the Fixer. Meanwhile, Matt continued training in secret even though he was blind, but struggled. He was then approached by Stick, who offered to assist him in learning how to utilize his new heightened senses, including a "radar sense" that allowed him to detect objects in relation to him. Stick was a stern teacher, often punishing Matt for being too driven by his emotions. University Education Matt eventually graduated from high school and managed to land a scholarship at State University. On his first day, both Matt and his father took a bus up to the area. Shortly after arriving, Jack became incredibly protective of his son, defending him when the Dean of the University suggested that Matt attend an inaugural speech for those with disabilities. Later they met Matt's doomroom mate, Franklin "Foggy" Nelson who was also studying law. Jack worried about his son being able to take care of himself, especially when he was harassed at a local diner by some locals. However, when Matt went back in the middle of the night and defended himself from the townies, Jack witnessed the fight and was convinced that his son was now a man who could look after himself. While at school, Foggy and Matt quickly became fast friends. A year later and at 19 years old, Matt and Foggy had advanced to learning pre-law at Columbia University. However, Matt had a secret dark side hitherto unknown to Foggy. When Nelson was being harassed by another student named Brad, Matt secretly jumped him in the middle of the night and left him tied up naked on the roof of the school, warning Brad that there would be swifter punishment if he should torment his friend any further. During this time, Matt also first met Elektra Natchios, the daughter of a Greek diplomat who was studying political science at Columbia. Matt was instantly smitten by her, but was unable to get close due to her bodyguard who was constantly at her side. One day he distracted the body guard long enough for Matt to ask her out on a date, confiding in her that he had enhanced senses. Their date went well and when Matt asked to see her again, she agreed that they should. Elektra proved to have a dark side to her, and she led him on a merry chase across the city. The date came to an abrupt end when she pretended to be a woman in distress, attracting the police. When they attempted to arrest Matt, Elektra quickly slipped away and the police released him when they discovered that he was blind and believed he was no threat. The following day, after Foggy warned Matt to stay away from Elektra, she took him on a joy ride to a nearby cliff. There she purposely plunged into the icy water below, and managed to slip away on Matt. More smitten than ever by Elektra, Matt sneaked onto her father's mansion during a large party, using his enhanced senses to slip past security. However he was soon discovered and was forced to flee, but was winged by a bullet. Matt managed to get back to his dorm room and treat his wound. Elektra then paid him a visit and the two tore the room apart while in the trows of passion. Thus started the beginning of a whirlwind relationship that the pair shared for months. Although Elektra was convinced by some unseen "voices" in her head that their relationship would soon come to an end. Elektra's next birthday proved to be a day of tragedy for both her and Matt Murdock. Matt had bought her a scarf for her birthday. But soon learned that her and her father were kidnapped by a group of terrorists who were holding them hostage. Wearing the scarf as a make-shift mask, Matt used his enhanced abilities to sneak into the building where the terrorists were keeping his lover and her father. While Matt was able to incapacitate the terrorists, Elektra's father Hugo walked into one of the windows, and mistaken for one of the terrorists, was gunned down before her daughters eyes. Elektra was deeply saddened by the death of her father, and quickly broke off her relationship with Matt and led him to believe that she was returning home to Greece. The Murder of Jack Murdock Matt and Foggy began attending the Harvard School of Law, By this time, Matt's father Jack had begun winning matches to the point where he was competing in a championship match against Carl "Crusher" Creel in a match a Madison Square Garden. What Jack didn't know was that the Fixer was setting the matches so that Murdock won, intending to make Murdock take a dive in the fourth round so he could reap the gambling winnings. Also recounted in . The name and appearance of the opponent Jack Murdock fights in the ring changes from telling to telling. Originally in Daredevil #1, his opponent is referred to as "Rocky Davis", in Daredevil #53 it's a boxer whose first name is Pedro. It was not until Daredevil: Yellow #1 was Carl "Crusher" Creel -- the future Absorbing Man -- was retconned as the boxer that Jack faced in the ring. Per , Daredevil #1 is listed as Creel's new first appearance. When Matt and Foggy learned the news, the pair decided to return to New York in order to see his father in the ring. Still seeing his son as weak, Jack was at odds about throwing the fight -- torn between his desire to be the champ, and fear for his son's safety. One night when practicing at Fogwell's Gym, Jack was attacked by some of the Fixer's men who were hired to make sure that Murdock didn't train for the upcoming fight. Jack was rescued by a masked man, who was struck so hard that Jack believed his savior would be left with a black eye, unaware that the mystery man who saved his life was his own son. In the middle of the fight, Jack witnessed as someone bumped into his son, knocking Matt's sunglasses off his face. Seeing that his son had a black eye, Jack put two-and-two together and realized that his son could look after himself after all. With his son cheering him on, Jack Murdock turned the match around and defeated Crusher Creel in the ring. Shortly thereafter, he was beaten and fatally shot by the Fixer and his men. =References=